Description

In response to increasing carbon dioxide levels, most general circulation models (GCMs) predict increasing temperatures and decreasing precipitation for the central hardwood region of the United States. Plants in this region will need to adapt to these changes as well as to other stress agents if they are to germinate, grow, and reproduce. For the last five years, our research program under the global change initiative has been designed to increase our understanding of the physiological and genetic mechanisms used by plants to respond and adapt to multiple stresses in forest ecosystems. To achieve this objective, we have conducted a series of field, greenhouse, and laboratory studies aimed at understanding how plants respond to allelochemicals, drought, and competition.